OUAT: The Curse of the Horned King
by Clev
Summary: When the Dark Vault took Neal's life in exchange for his father he figured it was the end. What he didn't count on was that their was an even bigger price to be paid, then death itself. While Zelena works to unravel the very fabric of time and rewrite history a darkshadow looms on the horizon but is it evil or good? No one knows. Au after Quiet Minds.
1. Prologue

**Well its official the plot bunnies have hit me after I already have two stories currently going for this show. I don't know how frequently all actually get to update this it all depends on whether I get inspiration or not. However, with most of my mind currently occupied about events in my other OUAT Fan Fiction Double Edged it will be kind of hard since trying to separate plots for two different shows in my mind is easy. But, three plots about the same show is like youzer. This was why I was hesitant to even post this at all and let someone else handle the plot. But, alas those darn plot bunny's demand it to be sow and knowing me I would probably get inspiration someone where down the road while reading this if it was by a different other, and then be tragically disappointed when it didn't go the way I was hoping it to. **

**Plot: When the Dark Vault took Neal's life in exchange for his father's he figured it was the end. What he didn't count on was that there was an even bigger price to be paid, then death itself. As the Zelena works to unravel the very fabric of time and rewrite history a dark shadow looms on the horizon but is it evil or good? No one knows. Then, when a charred body shows up on the edge of the town, everyone begins to wonder is Storybrooke even safe anymore when both Wicked and Death have come to town. This is my own take on the Chronicles of Prydain and the Black Cauldron film. Au after Quiet Minds.**

**This is basically my explanation of the vault, I added the idea that the vault can be found in different worlds sort of like the well of wonders from the show OUAT in Wonderland. I chose to do this in the Sense that the blue fairy said the Dark One was originally not of this world, while Bae and Belle found the vault which the Dark One was made from out of well darkness in the enchanted forest, which can be contradictory to some people. Therefore to amend that current continuity error that the show has thrown our way I decide that the vault is almost like a living entity on of itself and would serve as my substitute for the Black Cauldron. I also apologize that the chapter is short, but sometimes writing shorter chapters can be easier than longer ones or they just flow better, it all really depends at what point I believe is the best place to stop as you don't want a chapter to go on forever, but you also don't want it to end to soon. Writing is all about finding the perfect point where it finishes the thought process of that chapter, while leaving your readers with the feeling of suspense and wanting more. In other words writing is an experiment to be poked, prodded, and shaped into a form of art to be enjoyed by people for years to come. ****Anyway enough yammering from me and on with the show as they say or fan fiction.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my own life, and this story. I believe that disclaimer pretty much takes care of everything in a nutshell.**

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Legend tells of the Vault of the Dark One were the first Dark One was forged out of all of the darkness, that exists in the world. A vault that had the power to transcend worlds and time itself, as it could never be found in the same place once. However, that is only part of the story. What few know is that while the Dark One was made from darkness the vault itself was forged out of anger, hate, fear, suffering, and death, as it was created through the mixing of stone, the blood of 50 innocent lives and 50 guilty lives, and magic. And magic whether dark or light, always comes with a price. A price separate from the Dark One's curse, and no one has ever had to bear. For the price of using magic to create the vault was that it was instantantionalsy infused with a curse of its own, the Curse of the Horned King. A guardian of the vault if you will, a separate entity connected to the Dark One and the vault, and a creature of fire and death. A creature if let loose upon the world could bring with it the world's saving grace or its destruction. A fact that hinged on who controlled the vault. For many years kingdoms fought and died for control of the vault and people whether willingly or otherwise sacrificed their life to the vault. In the hopes to revive a previous Dark One or for the prospect of potential power. That could come about if they were chosen as the Horned King. But, for years the vault remained as it was, until by chance alone did the right soul come along.

**The Horned King's Prophecy**

From the depth of the ground shall their rise,

A creature with both light and darkness on its side.

Through the curse of the vault this entity shall be born,

But, only if one with a pure heart does sworn.

To sacrifice willingness its life to claim,

Reviving the last Dark One by invoking their name.

Then oh to the curse of the vault they be bond,

Between life and death is their body now found.

With the power of fire and death as their tool,

Death to the living should they lose control.

For by touch alone all life they can kill,

If anger, and fear should reign in them still.

But, if calmness and peace is at their command,

Then fear not to touch with thy lips and hands.

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Darkness that is all that is there as the voices whisper giving of a steady, but faint glow. "What do we do with him, why is he here? No let the darkness devour him? " The voices each whispering their opinion as they float, and squabble with one another while the figure lies untouched between them. The legs and arms of the man are splayed at an angle, with his fists unclenched, on which the palm of left hand bears a strange mark that looks as though it was branded into the man's flesh. No sound comes from his body, as his heart has stopped and his eyes lay closed.

"Silence," a voice speaks calm and commanding causing the voices to cower back from the man as two women, one in a long dress with red hair and a fair figure and the other a young girl with white hair emerged between them. A bright light shines from her body as she approaches the man, bending down she brushes the end of his bangs from his face. "So young," she marvelous at the youthfulness of this man, "yet in his 37 years he has known much sorrow and paint. Still despite this he has a good heart a kind one. What do you think of him?" Hen Wen she asked.

"I can't see much my Lady Eilonwy, but I can sense he is the one meant to carry the Horned King's curse and that his path in life is not yet done. However, what exactly that is I can't see. Oh, I'm sorry my Lady, I wish I could tell you more."

"It's alright my dear Hen Wen what you have told me is more than enough."

Bending down so that her lips touched his ears Eilonwy whispered the words of an ancient chant in his ear, before planting her lips once along his forehead, his chest, his hand, cheek, both eyes, and then finally his lips, before moving back from the man.

There was a rumble along the ground as a spirit and soul began dancing around the body giving light to several symbols along the ground where the boy lay, the very same symbols that could be found on the entrance to the Vault of the Dark One. The ground shifts as the symbols along the ground rise up carving themselves into the man's chest. Across the man's bare skin long red and black lines began to form, touching each of the spots that Eilowyn had kissed with her lips. A pool of fire and darkness forming at its center as the spirit and the soul touched it, before bursting forth taking on the combined shape of white deer with black antlers and wings. The winged deer's hooves moved as it dashed along the trail of smoke and fire, before descending toward the body. The symbol of the Dark One's Vault vanished as the winged deer entered the body, a blinding light shorting forth and then all was quiet. The voices had vanished from sight and Lady Eilowyn with them. The only figure that remained was Hen Wen, who had heard the voice of her royal highness telling her to remain.

"Wait Hen Wen, he will need a guide I charge to you stay with him and protect him should our father return."

"But, my lady how, for our father will surely notice me, my white hair and blue eyes will most certainly stand out among the world of the living?"

"Fear not my dear for I will grant you a form with which to accomplish this task, a form that is simple and unsuspecting." With that the form of a young girl disappeared and in its place stood a white wild boar with blue eyes.

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**Please remember to leave your comments, concerns, suggestions, questions creative criticism, but no flames below? Also feel free to tell me what you like and what you don't? As it is only through the generale communities help that I can improve and make this story into the best that it can be. I just realized that it makes more sense plot wise to have this chapter go first, So that is what I decided to do.**


	2. Death Awakens

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, the Black Cauldron, the Chronicles of Prydain or anything else that Disney or ABC owns. But I sure wish I did own OUAT so I could bring back Neal/Baelfire.**

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**Storybrooke**

One by one each member in the long line of people came up to take the shovel in hand before dropping a spoonful of dirt onto the black casket below. Before the hole a large stone sat Neal Cassidy: a Hero and Father who sacrificed his life for his family, Born March 23, 1977 and Died March 30, 2014. There was not a dry eye in the house, all throughout the funeral, but for Emma it was the worst feeling in the world. Emma had lost the man she loved not once, but three times. Only this time it was for real, there would be no healing herbs to bring him back or spell, he was dead and death was finale. Because no magic no matter how powerful could bring back the dead, it was one of the laws of magic, she remembered from the Disney version of Aladdin. The pain she was feeling was torture, as if a knife had wedged itself into her heart never to be removed. Emma might have promised Neal that she would move on and fine Tallahassee without him. But, the truth of the matter was she didn't think she could, because without Neal there was no Tallahassee. She fingered the necklace around her neck, and placed the last shovel of dirt over Neal's coffin closing off the last bit of light, the tears bursting forth in torrents.

At this point most of the crowd had dispersed leaving Emma standing there looking at the stone and the mound of dirt. Only her parents Mary Margaret and David remained with Emma, as Regina had offered to take Henry home for them.

"Oh Emma," Snow said as she wrapped her hands around her daughter with her husband David following suit.

"It hurts" Emma wailed as she latched onto her parents. Not even caring that she was 29 year old women. Because at this moment she didn't feel like an adult, no instead she felt like a child, who just wanted the pain to go away, and for her mommy and daddy to hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right. Even though she wasn't so sure it would be.

"I know we are so sorry," David said, "if we could make it better you now we would, in a heartbeat."

"I didn't mean it what I told Neal at the cave, I just was scared. But, I didn't actually want him to die. He wouldn't even let his own father fix it. Then he told me to move on, but I don't think I can move on from Neal. I love him so much, always have and always will, and I know it's too late, but what I want, what I wish for more than anything is that Neal wasn't dead."

"We know," they both said holding their daughter as tightly and for as long as she needed them to, before finally the three of them left the grave site.

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**1 week after Neal's Death**

It had been a week since the funeral and the day it was discovered who they were up against, Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West. Ever since Neal's death and the witches' threat made against Regina, Emma had rarely slept most nights and during the day she been working on perfecting her magic under Regina's teaching. Magic that she would need to defeat the women who would pay from taking Henry's father and then man she loved away from her. Magic to keep her love ones that still remained protected as Emma didn't think she would be able to cope if she lost someone else.

But, for now everything was calm and peaceful as Zelena had yet to make a move since a week ago. Well it would have been calm if it weren't for the late night storm that raged on outside side, while Emma was wide awake drinking a cup of hot chocolate with pumpkin spice and Marshmallows for a change, the way Neal had like his hot chocolate. Instead, of her usually drink of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Emma looked up to hear the pitter patter of footsteps and Mary Margret appeared in the living room.

"Emma what are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep, Mary Margaret I was."

"Thinking about Neal?" Snow looked at her daughter with understanding in her eyes as even though it had been a week the wound was still fresh over Emma's heart, so that it still felt as though Neal had died only yesterday.

Emma nodded her head "Yay I miss him, and well Henry's he has started to ask me questions about Neal and it's just getting so hard to make things up. I mean one moment he thinks he left us to rot in jail and the next he finds out his father is a hero and I can't even tell him why."

Snow grabbed herself a mug of hot chocolate before taking a stool beside her daughter as she had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

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Meanwhile, aside from the rain and lighting that shown in the sky all was quiet among the Storybrooke cemetery except for a few birds that occasionally flew about.

One bird in particular a large black crow was sitting on a headstone preening itself. A flash of lightning hit the stone causing the crow to let out a loud "caw" sound as the lighting narrowly missed it. Adjusting its feet it resumed its preening when all of a sudden the crow let out a loud drawn out "caw…," before bursting into flames leaving nothing in its wake but the bird's charred remains as it fell onto the ground dead.

The stone on which the crow had previously been standing started to crack in half, before severing completely into two parts.

The crack which had started at the stone began moving slowly along the ground, growing bigger as it inched forward, until it formed a large fissure shaped hole in the ground. From the hole bursts of fire and ash were already spilling forth, crackling across the ground and burning through the grass, flowers, and trees that covered the hill where the cemetery stood, before stopping at the gate. Then just as quickly as the fire has started it stopped leaving nothing in its wake, but cinder.

One hand shot up suddenly followed by another grabbing the edge of the hole as it made its way out from the dark depth beneath the ground. Another, strike of lightning flashed across the night sky, briefly giving view to the figure in question. However, nothing much of its physical appearance could be seen due to the long red sweatshirt it wore with a hood, which was currently draw up over its head shielding its face from view and the long sleeves that seemed to hide its hands. The figures feet were covered in black boots and over its legs it wore a pair of grey paints. To complete its ensemble over the red hoodie was a black leather vest with a white crow. However, only the ends of a pair of large black horns protruding from the hood of the red sweatshirt gave one the idea that whatever this thing was that had emerged from the bowels of the earth it wasn't human.

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**Well here it is the first chapter. Please send any comments, concerns, and constructive criticism not flames you have in the comment box below. Made some corrections here's hoping I caught them all.**


	3. Arwan Death-Lord

**For the most part the following chapter takes place in the present except for any words that are** i_talicized they take place in the past. _**Basically this chapter is designed to introduce the overall main villain for this story in all of his darkness. **

**Disclaim: I am making no profit from this story and am simply borrowing the character's and place mentioned for my own enjoyment, while they belong to their respected owners. **

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**Prydain**

Smoke and ash tinged with the stench of death, pouring into the already blackened sky that covers the land, making it impossible to tell whether it is day or night. The large castle from where the smoke continuously pours from is just as dark as sky that it stands under. Built at an angle, the structure of the building is gnarly and worn with age, as the once white marbled fixtures have turned a dark grey over time. Black mountain and thorns rise from the barren ground below, poking in and around the castle's structures and stretching far off into the distance. Their edges sharpened and stained with dried red blood. Discarded corpses also litter the moat that surrounds the castle, a warning to all who dare approach that the owner of this castle is not someone who is to be trifled with. Finally, the door of the castle stood raised the image of large Gwythaints at its center and several more of these fearsome Aves' sat along the castle's mighty torrents.

The land of Prydain for that was what it was called had once been a happy place filled with light, laughter, and good cheer, much like other worlds that are filled with magic. But, now everywhere people turned, death scoured every corner. Ever since King Arawn had come to power, many centuries ago and was within this castle that the might King himself stood one of the castle's many torrents looking over his vast Kingdom. A powerful enchanter by nature Arawn had used his magic and fear to conquer the world that he now rained over. Though his two daughters, son in law, and wife, had tried to defeat him, even they were powerless to the magic he possessed. They had only managed to rein his powers in as it were, by ripping the seeds of his power from him, the Dark One, a book, and his cauldron.

For it was Arawn who had created the first Dark One from the Darkness of his own twisted heart after throwing it into the magical cauldron, that he had made after sacrificing countless lives to do so to a dark demon. A dark demon who he had asked for the power to command the spirits of army so powerful that even the gods themselves would fear him. With the Dark One at his command and the power to raise the dead he had enslaved all of Prydain under his ruthless power. Yet that had not been enough for him, he needed more, there were other world's out there to conquer and so too would they have known his wrath, if not for the events that had occurred all those years ago.

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_Something was wrong Arawn could feel it as he watched his army of the living and the undead moving along the path to victory. All of Prydain was about to be in his grasp he could feel it. The feeling of power and fear from even the Gods themselves were afraid of the power he possessed, and why shouldn't they. He was about to make history, by becoming the first human being that rivaled them. But, then a tremor shook the ground opening up the world below and sucking the souls of his undead soldiers' right from under him. "No, no, no this isn't supposed to be happening to me." Arawn gripped the edge of his castle in anger, trying to command them forward. However, something was very wrong, his magic once strong was growing weaker he could feel it as though it was being taken from him, but how. Arawn dashed from his place in the balcony down into the darkest depth of the castle where he kept his black cauldron and his book of spells, which were both the keys to the source of his magic. _

_He ran down the halls throwing open the doors, just in time to see the Dark One collapse to the ground as a dagger took shape in his wife's hands, while his cauldron was collapsing and sinking in on itself. "Achren he" shouted even as most of his magic began seeping from his body. "What have you done" he ran forward._

"_Eilonwy, Hen Wen run," Achren beckoned her two girls toward one of the three portals she had opened up, "go before it's too late." _

_ "Doing what I should have done before Arawn stopping you" said Achren as she tossed the dagger and book into a portal and they were ripped away taking the Dark One's body with it. The cauldron before it disappeared from sight, had taken on the shape of a vault. _

_Taran who stood beside him gave Eilonwy a heartfelt look as if he knew this would be the last time he would see his wife, and that he would never know his unborn son, the child that she carried. "Good by Eilonwy, Hen Wen, and my little boy," he silently whispered as the portal swallowed them whole. _

_As the portals and the vault vanished he grabbed his wife around his neck "where did you send them Achren? Where do those portals lead you vile witch?"_

"_Into the future, the present, and past,_

_But which is which is beyond your grasp, _

_And as for the cauldron. _

_Only the horned kill will now,_

_For through time and all worlds shall the Dark One's vault flow._

_Leaving your goal beyond your grasp,_

_While as for you, without your dark magic, in this world you'll be trapped." _

_Achren chanted before with one last shudder from her chest she closed her eyes and spoke no more. For such was the price to be paid for the magic she had invoked._

_ Arawn with the last of his dark magic killed Taran in a blind range._

_From then on King Arawn, time and again sent several soldiers throughout many lands looking for his vault, but never did he find what he sought most, and so it was that for the present ultimate power remained beyond his grasp._

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"Master, master" a voice shouted disturbing Arawn from his thoughts.

"What is it you imbecile, can't you see I'm thinking?" Arawn grabbed the poor creature by its next and began twisting the goblin with its hands.

The poor goblin made faint gasping sound as it clawed against Arawn's hands. "I have news."

"Very well," Arawn released his hold on the goblins next, "what is it Creeper."

"Well pillaging and plunging is up another 10%, another plague has come through the town of…

"Yes, yes, I know all that Creeper," cutting of the goblin's speech "I don't need to be trifled with stuff I am already aware of, and for that I should feed you to my pets," motioning to the two large Gwythaints who stared at the goblin hungrily licking their tongue's across their beaks.

"I see well, and then I suppose it wouldn't interest you to know that, the cauldron's been activated."

"Again that has happened countless time," He spoke as he walked across the torrent entering through a door that led to his throne room his pet's flying beside him. "And each time I am no closer to figuring out what my traitorous wife did with the blasted thing or which world it resides. Because every time I begin to sense were it might be, it suddenly starts to vanish, until it gone, and again once more beyond my reach. Preventing me from finding it, my book, or the Dark One, whose power's she had bound in a dagger!" Arawn huffed as he took a seat his fingers digging into the arms of his throne.

"Yes, but this time is different Master, for this time, the Horned King has been released along with it."

"The Horned King, Are you sure the Cauldron's curse had finally come to pass?"

"Yes Master our spies tell us, they saw a figure with horn's rising up out of the very depth of the ground, well that was after it killed one of them. Burnt into an ashy corpse, the poor fool didn't know what hit him. Hit him because you know the lighting." Creeper chortled with glee.

"Hilarious, do they know who it was that opened the vault?"

"The stone was destroyed before they could and you no Gwythaints, they are a little hard of understanding the human tongue, as it were."

"So you're telling me that you have discovered the Horn King the one thing that can oppose me, or free me from the blasted prison, allowing me to have complete control over ever world in existence, and you couldn't even bother to get its true name!"

"Yes" Creeper gulped.

"Imbecile, boys" he held up his finger as he pointed it at the Goblin. "Dispose…"

"Wait, master I know, where the Horned King is. He's in the land without out magic, in a town called Storybrooke, Maine." Creeper put his hands up in defense as he coward back against the fall wall.

"You can kill him now." Arawn snapped his fingers.

The sound of tearing and the slashing of talons ripping through skin as loud screams were heard before all was silence, and the Gwythaints had returned to their post.

Arawn bent down to pick up a skull in his hand, "Thank you Creeper that was most helpful," he smiled as he crushed it into dust. "Hedge!" he shouted.

"Yes sire" a timid Goblin appeared tripping over himself as he ran into the room.

"Creeper's dead, congratulation you've just been promoted as my new head Goblin."

"Why thank you sir." Hedge spoke ringing his hat between his hands. "What are your orders?"

"My orders, I want you to ready my army, tell the Huntsmen of Annuvin, they're going on a trip."

"Where should I tell them they are going, sir?" Hedge asked.

"To a town called Storybrooke, Main, oh and Hedge," Arawn turned towards the goblin as it opened the door. "Do not make the same mistake that Creeper did, in failing me."

Hedge nodded as he rushed out the door holding his hat to his head.

Arawn reached over to the side of his throne and picked up his staff in hand. "You hear that Taran and Achren," fingering the two skulls that hung from it "soon my power shall return to its fullest and then and only then will every world in existence finally be mine."

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**Please review and send me any questions, comments, concerns, and creative criticism you have just no flame. Also for all those who had already read my first two chapter I did make some changes to it. For starters I switched the order of the first two chapter's since I felt that plot wise the one about the legend of the Dark One's Vault flowed better as the first chapter, with the chapter containing Neal's funeral as the second chapter. I also added a whole nother scene to the first chapter which takes place after the prophecy of the Horned King is ****mentioned. Plot wise it is kind of important so you might want to go back and read it if you haven't already.**


	4. A Fauny Situation

**Let me start of by saying I no that this chapter's name is ridiculous but, I could help my self. It just seems to fit what with my characterization of the Horn King. At first I did have the idea that the OUAT version of the Horned King would be a dark elf with horns sticking out of his head and lava marking along his skin. However, the more I thought about it the more my mind couldn't help but think of well deers, which gradually led to the overall decision of my appearance for the Horned King. If anyone decided they would like to draw him for me I would be most grateful? Complete with Hen Wen of course as this story does need some cover art. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Character's or places mentioned in this story I am just borrowing them for my enjoyment. All I own is the situations I have put them in and this story as a whole, so please do not use any of my ideas or interpretations of said character's that are not already in the OUAT ****world, ****especially the Horned King, ****without my permission. **

**Dedication: This chapter is for crazyhpcfan who was the first person to review my story, the second person to follow it, liked my interpretation of how the dark one was created, and is a fellow Swanfire, Rumbelle, Outlaw Queen, and Snowing shipper, this chapters is for you. (Cause yes these ships do rule, and most if not all will probably be featured in this story with Swanfire being the mane one).**

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**Storybrooke, ****Cemetery**

Pain was all he felt, because it hurt so much to perform even the simple act of breathing as his soul and spirit were being ripped from his earthly form. Neal had tried to act brave as if sacrificing his life for his family's sake and death were something he was unafraid of. But, the truth was it terrified him the thought of the unknown, the thought that he was dying and with it leaving Emma the women he loved behind to mourn his passing.

Then darkness had consumed him and Neal knew nothing, before he began hearing voices like whispers against his body. He had expected to find himself walking towards a bright line, and then looking down on the world below watching but unable to interfere. To meet his mother, and all those who had gone before him.

However, that hadn't happened instead for the moment he felt more like a ghost as he saw a woman looked down on his empty body. Neal watched as she leaned down to touch his empty body with her lips, and as he did he felt fire covering, consuming, and reshaping him into something other than what he had been. He felt it as the flow of magic coursed through him merging with him and giving life back to that which should be dead as Neal descended back into his mortal body.

Neal felt his thoughts drifting in and out of consciousness and the touch of warm hands against his skin. He heard voices whispering and the crying of tears and among them he was able to pick out Emma, wishing that he wasn't dead. And for some strange reason he wanted to tell her that he wasn't, to scream and claw his way towards air and freedom. To hold her and kiss, and tell her that he loved and no force on earth would take him away from her side again. But, he couldn't move, no matter how much he wanted to.

Neal didn't know how much time had passed with him lying in utter darkness, before he groaned shifting his arms and legs. The smell of fire, and ash growing stronger, and the sound of thunder could be heard ringing in his ears, getting louder with each passing second. Then Neal felt the ground below him tumbling at his feet, and his hands shout out, pulling him from pitch blackness into what he strangely realized was a stormy night as he saw the moon shining through the clouds and lighting that cracked up above. He felt the cool breeze of air ruffling against him, and rain drop falling against his clothes. He felt his heart resuming its steady beat and his lungs gasping for air as he opened his mouth letting out a puff of smoke as he did so.

Neal glanced behind him, to see his grave now empty and the stone cracked in two. He jumped backwards with the shock, causing him to stumble and land on the ground in a tangled heap. It was not because his grave was empty, that caused Neal to scream, but rather the reflection he had glimpsed in looking at his grave stone. He reached for his hood pulling it back to get a better look letting out a strangled scream that was deeper and airier than he was used as he saw his appearance. Though his face was the same for the most part, several alterations had been made to his overall appearance.

Neal's skin once cream colored with a red hue to it from the sun's rays, had turned a pale white the very color of death itself. His lips were a dark grey and on opening his mouth Neal found that his tongue was too, luckily his teeth hadn't seemed to change at all. His hair on the other hand including the little bit of facial hair that he had, was also white, save for several strands of silver that ran throughout, and his once brown eyes were a soulless black. But, the most unusual thing Neal noticed about himself was his elf like ears, the small pair of black antlers that seemed to be growing from his head, and the crow shaped marking that ran up and along his left cheek. The crow was mostly black save for several lines of a burning bright red that ran throughout. Giving it the appearance of lava, he rolled up his sleeves to find the same black and red lines of magma running over the whiteness of his arms.

Neal glanced down at his feet next, taking a look at how them seemed to bend more than they used to and that the boots were raised of the ground with a hoofed like appearance to the end. "Oh please don't tell me?" Neal removed his boots and moved his pant legs up, to see sure enough that instead of toes he now had a pair of black and red hooves, along with white fur running along both of his legs. Neal reached behind him feeling a small tuft of fur sticking out from his but, beneath the folds of the red hoodie he wore. "Of course I have a tail? Really a faun he looked up at the heavens, is this some kind of sick joke? Answer me!" Neal shouted when he heard nothing, but the occasional sound of thunder as it made its way across the sky.

"You know what maybe it's some kind of afterlife dream and I'm still really dead. Yay that's it," he mumbled "alright Neal, there's only one way to find out" and with that he picked up a broken shard of grave stone and rammed it through one of his hands, letting out a strangled scream of pain as red blood coated it. "Not, a dream definitely not a dream," yanking the shard out of his hand and cradling it against his chest. While the skin began to knit itself back into place, until the pain and the wound was completely gone.

Now that Neal had established that he was not dreaming the first thing he realized he needed to find was some help. Someone who could explain to him what was going on and why he suddenly looked the way that he did. Someone who knew a lot about magic and since his father was under his murderesses' control, he knew that despite how much he was not looking forward to it, he would have to talk to her. So replacing his boots on his feet and with a slow and clumsy walk to his gate, since he hadn't quite gotten used to the feel of walking on hooves, or feet of any kind for that matter, after being dead for who knows how long. Neal made his trek down the cemetery for the adjoining church, where he hoped for once it his life, things would go well, but then again he was never that lucky.

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**Note: I hope I didn't make Neal to OOC in this chapter as am trying to establish that his acceptance towards his new fate will be coming in stages. Much like grief, with a bit of relapsing at parts. Please remember to leave your comments, concerns, questions, suggestions, and creative criticism, but no flames in the comment box. Even if you are guess with no account simply stopping by I take your comments too. **


	5. Seeds of Vengeance

**After seeing tonight episode I couldn't help but wish they had did the whole sharing the heart thing with Emma, and Neal to save him instead of Emma's parents. But, on the plus side Robin and Regina are together so there's that to squeal about. Now if only the writer would bring Neal back.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything beyond this story all the characters, and places belong to their respective owner. I am merely borrowing them.**

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Neal reached the bottom of the hill the iron gates before him, once tall black, and meant to keep out intruders they now lay in ruin before him. Several holes could be seen along the gate, their ends melted, and letting of tiny wisps of steam as the raindrops touched their singed ends. Even the lock which had once kept the gate closed to intruders lay on the ground use less.

Making Neal even more confused as to what in Hell's name had happened to him.

Neal stepped thru the grave's entrance the large white church with it closed back doors standing before him. Its windows pitch black as the occupants inside were sound asleep and seemingly unaware of the figure that stood lurking outside its doors.

Neal pulling down his hood once more to obscure his face from view before knocking on the door with his hands. After all, Blue hadn't exactly been on good terms with his father, the Dark One, and he wasn't so sure how she or any of the other fairies that might answer the door would handle his current appearance.

Mother Superior awoke in the middle of the night along with several of the other girls. "Go back to sleep she told them," grabbing her wand from the nightstand just in case as she got into her habit and shoes before making her way down the hall to the back entrance. Wondering what manner of creature could possible be at the door at this ungodly hour.

"Hello what do you want our parish is currently closed at the moment and need I ask what you are doing trespassing on our cemetery...? She stopped stepping out past him "what happened to the gates?" As she saw the smoldering holes that covered the once majestic Iron Gate.

"Look I can explain, well actually no I can't. No that came out wrong. Let me try this again Blue, I need your help desperately."

"You have defaced public property young man and on a church no less," well she assumed he was a man based on his deep voice.

"Okay, look I don't even know if it was me, I just woke up in a graveyard, when I should be dead, looking like well this," Neal removed his head allowing Blue to see him.

"Neal?" she asked placing her hands on her wand just in case as, recognized the Dark One's son, even though his appearance had been altered.

"Yes, Neal answered and like I said before I need your help. Somehow instead of remaining dead after opening the vault, I woke up to find myself very much alive, I look like a Faun, and I don't know why?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Mr. Cassidy"

"You're kidding me, you know something! Now tell me why do I look like this?" Neal shouted as he felt anger taking root in him.

"I don't." Blue turned to walk away.

Before she could Neal had grabbed her wrist, "and I say you do now tell me what is it?"

"As I said before Mr. Cassidy I don't and even if I did I wouldn't tell someone…"

"Someone like me, oh I get it, you only help those who are worthy of your standards and when they're not you manipulate them to your own advantage." The taste of ash in Neal's mouth began to grow as fire started to brim at his feet. While Blue felt her hand beginning to burn.

Blue, gripping her wand fired it at Neal causing him to let go, but otherwise it had no effect on him.

"Nice try little snake. Yes for that's what you are, a little blue snake in the grass, who used me, just like you used my papa, and everyone else," Neal smiled.

Blue turned and ran down the hill away from the church, and into the forest that led to the edge of Storybrooke with Neal in hot pursuit.

"Run, run, as fast as you can little snake, for there's nowhere you can go, nowhere to hide, not when the fire and darkness is brewing inside." Neal taunted fire swirling along his hands which he threw at her.

Blue managed to sidestep a few, before a well-aimed one hit her from behind and she suddenly fell landing on the ground her wand falling out of her hands. She scrambled to her feet reaching for her wand. Only to come up empty handed as she looked into the face of Neal who was holding her wand in his clutches. The crow shape mark on his face glows a bright orange as hot flames licked against the edges of his clothes and skin.

"Now, I'll give you one more chance," kneeling down he held the tip of her own wand against her neck. "Why do I look like this?"

"Go to Hell!"

"Don't worry dearie I'm already there and look how fitting this is gesturing to the area around them, this looks a bit like. Now where was it again that this place remind me of. Oh right the spot where you gave me that accursed bean and ruined my life. As for your words well I'm afraid they weren't quite the answer I was looking for." Neal grabbed her neck watching with glee as she gasped for air more black and red lines of molten lava covering her face as he let loose his barely contained rage. In his hands the Blue fairy's body jerked before she went limp a black puff leaving her mouth as she took her last gasping breath of air.

Rain, right it was raining, and Neal could feel it against his skin turning into steam against the fire. His hands shaking for the fire just as quickly as it had started was slow being smothered. Neal's eyes which had momentarily changed to a molten gold now retained their black emptiness.

Neal's hands shook as he flung Blue's empty corpse to the ground, along with her wand which was now nothing more than a pile dust, which was instantly smothered by the rain. "What have I done? He backed away from the corpse as he ran, until he could run no more, before he finally collapsed onto the ground.

One minute he had been trying to get Blue to help him, and the next in a blind range of anger he had murder. What's worse he hadn't even cared while he was doing it. No it had actually felt good the fire burn through the flesh, of another human being, as her body jerked, to in throw in his hands. Watching her with the feeling of helplessness in her eyes that came once she realized her death was inevitable and there was nothing she could do to stop it. He wasn't supposed to feel that way though, he wasn't supposed to enjoy watching a person die, the way his father did. It went against his very character, not just for being ethically wrong in society eyes, but morally. Yet he had done it without a second thought or regard for how very wrong it was.

In agitation, he ran his hands through his hair, before moving them tightly against his chest as he leaned his head back, letting loose a blood curdling scream of pain. Fresh tears started to stream down his face, letting loose bits of steam as they did.

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Back at the Storybrooke cemetery the hole Neal had emerged from had disappeared leaving in its place a mound of dead grass and dirt. While his stone was once more whole his name, date of birth, and death no longer marking the face, but instead a large black crow made of darkness, much like the one on his face and a deer made of fire, marked the surface.

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**Well you probably know the drill by now, but I'll say it anyway. Please review and send me any questions, comments, concerns, and creative criticism you have just no flames please. Also if Neal seems a little darker in this chapter their is reason for that. **


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